DPHU1006 Chap.2 Logline, Synopsis and Story Outline
Logline, Synopsis and Story Outline
Assessment 2a, the Story Proposal, is worth 15% and is written in your tutorial across two weeks: the logline and synopsis in 40 minutes in Week 4, and the full story outline in 2 hours in Week 5. It runs in a lockdown browser without notes, devices or translation programs, so everything you hand in must be rehearsed before you walk in.
The proposal is for an original film of 4 to 5 minutes that a team of four or five student filmmakers could feasibly make. Three rubric criteria carry five marks each. Logline and Synopsis asks for a single-sentence logline under 30 words and a two or three sentence synopsis that make the idea sound unique without giving away the ending.
Story Outline asks for three acts, cause and effect, scenes in close detail, the main character's features and arc, references to film style and the present tense, with no doubts about feasibility. Written Expression rewards clean grammar and spelling. This chapter builds each part with an original model and shows the checks the rubric applies. Two practical points shape your preparation.
First, you choose your idea early: every student uploads a Story Ideas document before the end of the Week 2 tutorial, so the Week 4 sitting is about writing, not deciding. Second, the proposal feeds the next task directly, because the Week 6 pitch must be consistent with what you submitted.
Moodle also links a very good proposal from a previous cohort; its order of parts, from title and genre through logline, synopsis, a character profile and three named acts to storyboard frames, is the useful lesson, while its story stays its own.
What this chapter covers
- 01
The three parts of the proposal and the two in-class sittings
- 02
What the logline must contain, and why it stops before the ending
- 03
Using the synopsis to widen the frame in two or three sentences
- 04
Writing the outline in the present tense, scene by scene
- 05
Feasibility for a crew of four or five students
- 06
The two statements on proposal length and how to plan for them
Worked example · free
Checking a synopsis against the rubric
- +1Remove the ending: 'they live happily' gives away the resolution, which the lower bands penalise.
- +1Add a complication: the phone keeps receiving messages that suggest its owner is in trouble.
- +1Keep it to two or three sentences and make the idea specific: a twelve-year-old, a public park, a phone that will not stop buzzing.
Key terms
- Story proposal
- A written plan for an original film, made up of a logline, a synopsis and a story outline.
- Present tense
- Writing action as it happens on screen ('she opens the door'), which the outline rubric expects throughout.
- Feasibility
- Whether a small student crew could really make the film with the time, people, places and props available.
- Written expression
- The third proposal criterion, judging grammar, spelling and word choice for clarity.
- Story ideas document
- The short list of possible films each student uploads before the end of the Week 2 tutorial.
Logline, Synopsis and Story Outline FAQ
How long should a logline be?
Under 30 words and a single sentence. The top rubric bands describe a clear, concise summary that distils the most important elements of the idea and makes it sound unique and compelling.
Can I bring notes to the Week 4 and Week 5 tutorials?
No. Both parts are written in a lockdown browser under your tutor's supervision, with no notes, devices or translation programs, and phones stay in your bag.
How long should the whole proposal be?
The task overview describes an 800 to 1000 word proposal, while the summary table lists no word limit. Planning for 800 to 1000 words and checking with your tutor covers both readings.
What happens if I miss the Week 5 sitting?
The assessment table states that failing to complete the Week 4 or Week 5 submission results in an Unsatisfactory Fail, so contact your tutor and apply for special consideration within three working days if illness or misadventure stops you.
Is the story proposal written individually or in a group?
Individually. Each student writes their own logline, synopsis and story outline in their assigned tutorial, and the Week 6 pitch that follows is also delivered individually, even though the later Video Project is made in teams.
Should the story outline describe camera shots?
It can refer to film style where that helps a reader imagine the finished film, which the top band rewards. Keep the focus on what happens in each scene, in the present tense, and mention a shot only when it carries meaning.
Assessment move
Write three loglines for different ideas in Week 2 and count every word. Choose the strongest, then draft a synopsis and a one-page outline at home and say them aloud until you can rewrite them from memory in the time allowed. Time a practice run: 40 minutes for the logline and synopsis, then a separate two-hour outline.
In the week before each sitting, rehearse under the real conditions: no notes, a timer and a plain text editor. Afterwards, check your draft against all three criteria, including spelling and grammar, because written expression is worth as much as the logline.
